Lucius Allen : biography

September 26, 1947 -

Lucius Oliver Allen, Jr. (born on September 26, 1947 in Kansas City, Kansas) is a former professional basketball player. Prior to his NBA career, he became an All-American as part of two of legendary coach John Wooden's UCLA NCAA Championship teams, in 1967 and 1968. The 1968 team, featuring three consensus All-Americans, Allen, Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Mike Warren, is considered by many to be the greatest team in men's college basketball history. After being suspended for his senior year at UCLA for receiving a second citation for possessing a small quantity marijuana, Allen was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1st round (3rd pick) of the 1969 NBA Draft and retired in 1979. As a member of the 1971 Milwaukee Bucks team, which also featured UCLA teammate Alcindor, Allen earned an NBA championship ring. He also played with Abdul-Jabbar for two seasons, from 1975-1977, in Los Angeles, but not winning a championship in either of those years. Allen was traded the following season to cross-town, Missouri-based Kansas City Kings, winning the division championship in 1979, and retired from basketball after that season.

Allen played 10 years in the NBA for four different teams. His highest scoring average was 19.1 points per game, during the 1974-1975 campaign.. NBA.com. Part of the way through that season he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers after playing with the Milwaukee Bucks since the 1970-1971 season.